beast swelling

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emerilslady2
emerilslady2 Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
has anyone experienced swelling and redness in the breast after surgery, chemo and radiation. it has been 5 months since i finished my radiation. the doctors say that it might be lymphodema in the breast instead of the arm where people usually get it. i am concerned because i have never heard of this. i started with a rash on my breast then the swelling. now i am breaking out with rashes on other parts of my body. i have been told i had celullitis. then exyema. and lymphemdema. i feel like its been a guessing game. and i am concerned that i might not be correctly diagnosised

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  • lindatn
    lindatn Member Posts: 229
    #2
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    I will tell you what has happened with me but I have no answers for you. I finished radiation in Dec of 2002 having had chemo, lumpectomy, and radiation. At Christmas time we were out of town and my breast swelled huge. On returning home I went to the radiation center they did a mammogram and ultra sound said I may have inflamatory cancer. I was more then afraid, called the breast center talked to the surgeon who said that he sure didn't think that likely but had me go to the onco who said she had seen this before when starting on tamoxifen right after radiation. The swelling went down in the breast to a degree but the breast is hard in one area stays sore where the surgery was done, nipple is no where in sight. I can wear cotton bras with soft terry lining. The last month my breast has hurt so much I have pretty much gone braless when home. I have been told I have lymphodema of the breast at the center where I have my mammograms. The nurse who does the mammogram had a lumpectomy six years ago and still has the same problem so not sure it is terribley uncommon. Of course with the sore breast one is always sure the cancer may of returned. I have been to two breast centers, the dumb radiation guy and the surgeon, I go to my onco every four months. There are times part of the breast is warm and red doesn't stay that way all the time thank heavens. As you can see I have no answers. Due in May for another mammogram always rather painful and afterwards for a week or more a very swollen breast. Hopefully yours will settle down in a year or so, they say it can take two years after radiation so you are still early. Check with another breast center if your continue to be concerned. God Bless Linda
  • krisrey
    krisrey Member Posts: 194
    #3
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    lindatn said:

    I will tell you what has happened with me but I have no answers for you. I finished radiation in Dec of 2002 having had chemo, lumpectomy, and radiation. At Christmas time we were out of town and my breast swelled huge. On returning home I went to the radiation center they did a mammogram and ultra sound said I may have inflamatory cancer. I was more then afraid, called the breast center talked to the surgeon who said that he sure didn't think that likely but had me go to the onco who said she had seen this before when starting on tamoxifen right after radiation. The swelling went down in the breast to a degree but the breast is hard in one area stays sore where the surgery was done, nipple is no where in sight. I can wear cotton bras with soft terry lining. The last month my breast has hurt so much I have pretty much gone braless when home. I have been told I have lymphodema of the breast at the center where I have my mammograms. The nurse who does the mammogram had a lumpectomy six years ago and still has the same problem so not sure it is terribley uncommon. Of course with the sore breast one is always sure the cancer may of returned. I have been to two breast centers, the dumb radiation guy and the surgeon, I go to my onco every four months. There are times part of the breast is warm and red doesn't stay that way all the time thank heavens. As you can see I have no answers. Due in May for another mammogram always rather painful and afterwards for a week or more a very swollen breast. Hopefully yours will settle down in a year or so, they say it can take two years after radiation so you are still early. Check with another breast center if your continue to be concerned. God Bless Linda

    Hello Ladies,
    I was wondering if either one of you has considered an MRI...Linda...since a mammogram is so painful, I would think an MRI would be a way to go. My insurance company pays for mammograms (every 6 months) and once a year MRI. I am not large breasted, neither do I have a swollen breast and a mammogram still kills!
    Kristen

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